(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a KVM (keyboard, video and mouse) switch for interconnecting at least two computer hosts each having user interface devices, including a keyboard, a video display unit, and a cursor control device or mouse, allowing a user to access any one of the computer hosts from a single terminal, and more particularly, to a switch module with low manufacture cost for enabling a single user to control multiple computer hosts at a single terminal.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
There exist devices for interconnecting a single computer to multiple computers. For example, a keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) switch is a device that is generally connected to multiple computers in order to enable a single keyboard, video monitor and mouse to control each of the connected computers. In this way, a user may have access to multiple computers without having to invest in corresponding keyboards, monitors, and mice for each of the computers. When the user accesses a computer connected to the KVM switch, video signals are routed from the computer, processed, and displayed on the single video monitor.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,035,112, as shown in FIG. 1, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, discloses an original KVM switch 10 comprising: a body 40; a switching circuit contained within the body; a set of connector ports electrically coupled to the switching circuit; and, a plurality of cables 11 fixedly attached to and extending from the body 40, each cable in the plurality of cables 11 having a plurality of connector plugs 30, wherein each connector plug 31, 32, 33 in the plurality of connector plugs 30 for one of the cables in the plurality of cables 11 are matched a respective connector plug in another one of the cables in the plurality of cables 11, and wherein the switching circuit switches to connect each of the set of connector ports to one of the plurality of cables 11.
For manufacture cost toward a KVM switch speaking, cables with plurality of connector plugs (keyboard plug, video plug and mouse plug) weigh 70% of KVM total manufacture cost. The automatic switch in '112 patent with two cables with plurality of connector plugs will increase the manufacture cost. It is not benefit for manufacturing.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide a KVM switch that has an intuitive user interface to allow for easy interaction with one or more computers connected to the KVM switch without increasing the manufacture cost.